jicama

J8I1C3A1M3A1
/ˈhɪ.kə.mə//ˈhiː.kə.mə/

noun

The edible root of the yam bean (Pachyrhizus erosus) used in salads in Central America and as a snack in Mexico.

Similar
Mexican yam bean
OriginMexican Spanish jícama ← Classical Nahuatl xīcama →
UncommonScrabble 17
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Meanings

nounjicama (plural jicamas)

plural jicamas

  1. The edible root of the yam bean (Pachyrhizus erosus) used in salads in Central America and as a snack in Mexico.

    Synonyms: Mexican yam bean

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe edible root of the yam bean (Pachyrhizus erosus) used in salads in Central America and as a snack in Mexico.

Similar
Mexican yam bean
Also see
mexican yam beansingkamas

Origin

  1. Classical Nahuatlxīcama
  2. Mexican Spanishjícama
  3. Englishjicama

Borrowed from Mexican Spanish jícama, from Classical Nahuatl xīcama, apocopic form of xīcamatl.

More words from Mexican Spanish, Classical Nahuatl

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan jícama
  • jícamathe edible root of the yam bean
Chinese Cantonese 沙葛
  • 沙葛 (saa¹ got³)the edible root of the yam bean
Chinese Mandarin 涼薯 /凉薯, 豆薯
  • 涼薯 /凉薯 (liángshǔ)the edible root of the yam bean
  • 豆薯 (dòushǔ)the edible root of the yam bean
French jícama, pois patate
  • jícamathe edible root of the yam bean
  • pois patatethe edible root of the yam bean
German Yambohne
  • Yambohnethe edible root of the yam bean
Indonesian bengkuang
  • bengkuangthe edible root of the yam bean
Italian patata messicana
  • patata messicanathe edible root of the yam bean
Japanese ヒカマ
  • ヒカマ (hikama)the edible root of the yam bean
Malay sengkuang
  • sengkuangthe edible root of the yam bean
Spanish jícama, pelenga
  • jícamathe edible root of the yam bean
  • pelengathe edible root of the yam bean
  • nabo mexicanothe edible root of the yam bean
Swedish jamsbönrot, jamsböna
  • jamsbönrotthe edible root of the yam bean
  • jamsbönathe edible root of the yam bean
Tagalog singkamas
  • singkamasthe edible root of the yam bean
Thai มันแกว
  • มันแกวthe edible root of the yam bean
Vietnamese cây củ đậu
  • cây củ đậuthe edible root of the yam bean
Cite this entry
APA

jicama. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jicama

MLA

“jicama.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jicama. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “jicama,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jicama.

Source: jicama on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.